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PA Society For Ornithology To Hold 4th Annual Breeding Bird Blitz For Conservation June 7-17 - Sign Up Your Team Today!

The Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology proudly announces that its 4th Annual Breeding Bird Blitz for Conservation will occur from June 7-17, 2024 and support three projects across the Commonwealth.

Birders are invited to join the Blitz by forming a team, raising funds, and competing in either the “cumulative count” or “big day” categories to document birds during nesting season.

Teams enlist their friends to support their efforts with a donation; all donations are evenly split among the three projects.

Bird-lovers of all ages and skill levels are invited to visit the Breeding Bird Blitz for Conservation website to learn more about the event, to form and register a team, or to make a donation.

We are adding some new features to the Blitz this year!

In response to feedback we have received from our teams, we will be adding a “Cumulative Count” option, where species totals are counted over 2 or more days during the 11 day period. This is in addition to our traditional “Big Day Count” category.

We will also be adding a “Block Boosting” category in recognition of the 3rd Pennsylvania Bird Atlas (PBA3).

Bird Projects To Benefit

The 2024 Blitz aims to raise $20,240 to support the following bird conservation projects:

-- Rider Park, Lycoming County: Habitat management and public education at Rider Park north of Williamsport. Four acres of meadow habitat will be turned into a mosaic of multi-stem shrubs and trees to benefit American Woodcock populations in the park.

In addition to habitat enhancements, several interpretive signs describing American Woodcock behavior, nesting needs, and habitat requirements that will be installed along a trail passing through the habitat, and the park will organize public programs, partnering with the Lycoming Audubon Society, to experience American Woodcock spring courtship displays.

-- Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC), Pike County: Bird safety improvements to existing architecture at the center’s passive solar Visitor Activity Center. This sustainably constructed building is an important asset for PEEC’s educational programs, seasonal community dinners, and festivals.

The building however has north, south, east, and west facing windows that cause fatal bird strikes each year.

PEEC is working with artist Eurhi Jones to conceptualize an art installation project in an effort to deter bird strikes at the Visitor Activity Center and educate the public on bird window strikes through its creation.

-- Allegheny Land Trust (Wingfield Pines), Allegheny County: Habitat management and educational outreach at the Wingfield Pines green space in the Chartiers Creek floodplain. The land was historically strip mined, and later used as a golf course.

Allegheny Land Trust has restored the historic wetland habitat of the area and Wingfield Pines is now utilized by more than 200 species of birds each year.

This project will restore approximately 4 more acres of wetland and increase the total area of the Wingfield Pines wetland to 30 acres.

The Allegheny Land Trust also plans to fund multiple educational programs, including world migratory bird day counts, bird banding programs, songbirds professional development workshops, and multiple bird day webinars.

These programs will be funded and provided to the public for free.

Bird Blitz History

In its first three years, the Breeding Bird Blitz for Conservation has raised more than $45,000 in support of nine projects.

The 2023 Blitz featured more than 100 birders competing on 21 teams. Those birders raised $19,310 for conservation while documenting 175 species over 11 days in June.

We are excited to be organizing this event for its fourth year and are proud of the conservation projects we help fund.

We hope you will consider registering a team April 1st, and will join us for the Fourth Annual Breeding Bird Blitz for Conservation!

Visit the Breeding Bird Blitz for Conservation website for updates on the event and all the details and stories from the event’s history.

Questions about creating a team can be directed to blitz4conservation@gmail.com where a member of the PSO Conservation Committee will be excited to answer.

Conservation Committee members are Laura Jackson, chair; Brian Byrnes; Vern Gauthier; Carolyn Hendricks; David Barber; Mary Alice Koeneke; and Karter Witmer.

Visit the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology website for more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how you can become involved.

Resource Links - Solar Eclipse:

-- DCNR Advice On Viewing April 8 Solar Eclipse

-- DCNR Blog: There Goes The Sun - April 8 Solar Eclipse

-- TribLive: Western PA Schools Make Plans For April 8 Solar Eclipse

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